New Believers Guide

Day 8: Holy Spirit's Work

The Holy Spirit is your constant companion and helper. Have you ever been given a task that is too big for you? Living like Jesus is impossible for us on our own. But that’s why God gave us His own Spirit—to help us live as new people. Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26). As we saw in the last lesson, the Spirit is the stamp of God’s salvation and gives us new life. But He does a lot more. Let’s look at the things He does for you:

The Spirit Teaches

Do you ever wonder how to live the Christian life? 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching.” “Inspired by God” is a reference to the Holy Spirit who is the life-giving breath of God. It’s like studying a book and having the author of the book there with you to help you through the hard-to-understand parts. Since the Holy Spirit inspired the Bible, He will help you to understand it and give you new life as you read it.

"For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God." 1 Corinthians 2:11

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." John 14:26

The Spirit Corrects

2 Timothy 3:16 also tells us another benefit of the Holy Spirit: He corrects us. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for teaching us how to live right.” As believers, we will experience the prompting of the Spirit in our lives when we do things that God does not want us to do. For example, sometimes we may not want to forgive someone for wronging us. The Spirit will keep reminding us of the importance of forgiving that person and how God has forgiven us.

The Spirit Leads

John 16:13 tells us, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” When you follow the leading of the Spirit, you follow God’s will for your life. Sometimes we resist the Spirit and do things of our own will and not God’s. To be self-willed only delays God’s blessing in our lives. The Bible tells us we must decrease the control we have over our lives and turn control over to the leading of the Spirit. This will lead to living the abundant life God has for you.

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you." John 14:16-17